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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · key · pound · rush · lash · bore · dip · bulb

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. key — in music
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. key — for a lock
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com